STAFF
Kelly Huber has been Executive Director of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association since 2005. Before coming to the SFYSA, she worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters and taught math and science in the Windsor County Public School District in Vermont. She received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Arizona. She holds a Master of Science in Organizational Management, with a focus on non-profits, from the School for International Training. Kelly enjoys traveling, having visited over 30 countries, and has an incurable shoe-shopping weakness.
Benjamin Klemme has served as Music Director and Youth Symphony Orchestra Conductor of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association since 2007. His previous conducting posts include Assistant Conductor of the National Repertory Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra. Mr. Klemme received his Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music and his Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa. His principal conducting teachers include Carl Topilow, Louis Lane, Rebecca Burkhardt and Ronald Johnson. Mr. Klemme actively pursues innovative ways to employ his commitment to classical music education and outreach. In Iowa, he trained talented young musicians as Associate Conductor of the Northern Iowa Youth Orchestra. In the Cleveland area, he was appointed to head the music department at Lutheran High School East where he instructed students in music literacy, history, appreciation, and performance. Most recently, he led the Scordatura Chamber Orchestra, a Cleveland-based ensemble whose mission it is to unleash the teaching power of classical music. Mr. Klemme is married to violinist Deborah Coltvet Klemme. He spends free time reading biographic literature and trying desperately to stay in the fairway. Visit his website.
Violinist Deborah Coltvet Klemme is a recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Stephen Rose, Principal Second Violinist of the Cleveland Orchestra. At CIM, she earned a Master of Music in Violin Performance with an emphasis in Suzuki Pedagogy. Ms. Klemme has held leadership positions in many orchestras, including as Concertmaster of both the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra. For her undergraduate degree, she studied with Frederick Halgedahl and received her Bachelor of Music on a full scholarship from the University of Northern Iowa, where she graduated summa cum laude. Ms. Klemme grew up as a Suzuki violin student in Canada and Iowa and has studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Nancy Lokken, Teri Einfeldt, and Kimberly Meier-Sims.Kristina Lambert, Mozart y Mariachi Violin Instructor and Program Administrator
Kristina Lambert is a registered Suzuki violin instructor for Suzuki violin levels 1-10. Her teacher trainers have included Dr. Louise Scott, Kimberly Meier-Sims, Michele George, and Carrie Reuning-Hummel. Kristina has a MM degree in Suzuki violin/viola pedagogy from Northern Arizona University, and a BM in violin performance and music education from the University of Memphis. Kristina enjoys teaching violin and viola private lessons and group classes, as well as Suzuki in the Schools. She is currently Coordinator of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association's Mozart y Mariachi Suzuki violin program. Kristina has served as Principal Second Violin for the Flagstaff Symphony and Concertmaster for the Northern Arizona University Orchestra. Her principal teachers include Dr. Louise Scott and Dr. Soh-Hyun Park Altino. In her spare time, Kristina enjoys hiking and gardening.
Raul Ojeda is the oldest son of Don Miguel Ojeda Sr. Both Don Miguel and his father were mariachi violinists. Raul’s own musical career started with music lessons from his father at the age of 15 with the guitar; he subsequently learned vihuela, guitarra de golpe, and finally his favorite instrument, the guitarron. At the age of 21, Raul moved from Mexico with the rest of his musical family to form Mariachi Tenampa, founded and directed by his father. Known as one of the best guitarrón players in the state of New Mexico, Raul is also a lead vocalist. He is well known for his powerful and broad-ranging voice and his extensive repertoire of hundreds of songs.
David Parlato, bassist, composer, educator, was born and raised in a musical family in Los Angeles, California. Taking after his father, he began his musical life as a trumpet player. At age nineteen, he began to play the bass. He studied classical double bass with Nathaniel Gangursky and jazz bass with Monty Budwig. He has performed and recorded with such popular artists as Barbra Streisand, Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, Helen Reddy, Burt Bacharach, Andy Williams, Peter Allen, Jerry Lee Lewis, Glen Campbell, Liza Minelli, Paul Williams and Frank Zappa. He has worked with numerous jazz artists including Don Ellis, Bud Shank, Don Menza, Bobby Shew, John Klemmer, Frank Strazerri, Warne Marsh, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Kenny Davern, Gabor Szabo, Paul Horn, Shelly Manne, Frank Morgan, Herb Ellis, Doug Lawrence, Mose Allison, Greg Abate, Roger Kellaway and Buddy Rich. Since moving to New Mexico in 1990, David has continued to teach privately and perform in a wide variety of classical and improvisational musical settings.
José Santiago’s dream since childhood was to be a professional mariachi. His roots lead back to Jalísco, Mexico; his father, Miguel Santiago, was a member of Mariachi Tenampa and the original director of Mariachi Los Caporales. José began studying with his father at the tender age of 4, learning to play vihuela, guitar, trumpet, and finally violin. José’s career with Mariachi Tenampa began when he was 14. Now, as musical director, arranger, and violin section leader, he is credited with being an important part of Mariachi Tenampa's success. José has also worked as a studio musician producing national radio and television ads, and many mariachi workshops now use his transcriptions of traditional music. Since 1998, José has run an Internet-based stringed instrument shop, Santiago Violins, where he specializes in the making, restoration, repair and sale of fine violins, violas, bows and related accessories.
Cheryl Smith-Ecke is currently teaching elementary and middle school orchestras in the Los Alamos Public Schools. Her 8th Grade Orchestra was one of 17 in the country selected to participate in the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival in 2008. Cheryl has had a varied musical career. She taught privately for many years and has attended many Suzuki teacher-training courses. Cheryl played violin with Santa Fe Symphony for 13 years. She became interested in baroque violin and studied for several summers at the Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin Conservatory. Cheryl has performed in a variety of baroque period instrument groups including Santa Fe Pro Musica and Albuquerque Baroque Soloists. She holds a performance degree from the University of Washington and is presently working on her Masters of Music Education at Chicago's VanderCook School of Music during the summers. Cheryl has very fond memories of participating in a youth symphony like SFYSA when she was in high school. There she developed her love of orchestral music, made lots of friends, and had some unforgettable experiences – including going on tours to Australia and Czechoslovakia and playing in a concert with Duke Ellington and his band! Cheryl is very excited to be a part of the growing SFYSA organization!
Richard D. Snider currently is band director at St. Michael’s High School where his bands have received numerous 1st Division awards at the district and state contests. He has taught instrumental and vocal music from elementary to college levels, as well as musical theatre and art history. Richard received the Santa Fe Partners in Education “Teachers Who Inspire” Award in 1994 and was inducted into New Mexico Music Educators Association Hall of Fame in 2001. Richard received his Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees from Texas Tech University. Richard is a freelance jazz bassist who has performed most recently with Ali Ryerson and Bobby Shew. Richard would like to thank SFYSA parents for providing music education to their children, fellow SFYSA associates for their dedication, his students for putting up with his odd sense of humor, and to Joe Rogers and Gary Wylie, his high school band teachers.
Karina Wilson, Mozart y Mariachi Violin instructor, started studying violin at the age of 5. At the age of 17, she was placed sixth best youth violinist in New Mexico. She has played with the University of New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and has studied under excellent musicians, including Kathy Jarrett, named best music teacher in New Mexico in 2004. Karina now plays in the Orchestra of St. Francis. Karina enjoys traditional American, English, and African music and dance.Jacqueline Fernandez-Quezada, Mozart y Mariachi Program Assistant
Jacquiline is a parent of a 2nd-year MyM violin and vihuela student. She is a registered nurse and heals Santa Feans at St. Vincent's Hospital in Santa Fe. A skilled musician, Jacqui is a guitarist with Santa Fe's only all-female mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Buena Ventura. She loves music, is a budding violin student, and is very happy to be a part of SFYSA.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Christine McDonald, chair
Susan Steffy, vice chair
MaryBeth Britton, secretary
Linda Armer, treasurer
Gerald Garcia, member
Marianne Gibbs, member
Byron L. Treaster, member
Kelly Huber, ex officio
Benjamin Klemme, ex officioIf you are interested in being a part of the SFYSA Board of Directors, please contact the SFYSA office!
